YOUR MONEY!

Dear readers… “eh, is anyone left?” Yes… it has been very quiet for a very long time.. I know. After the 24th September 2013, I had a rest. In fact the shoulder injury sustained during the lead up to the big day and subsequently during the crossing still persists. However, here I am again. Here to talk to you once more. Luckily for you the subject is something far more important than my ‘solo efforts’ to swim large expanses of water. I am here to tell you about what your most generous donations are doing! I am eternally grateful and privileged to have been included on a recent trip to visit the ‘village projects’ north of Udiapur in Ragasthan, India. I was part of a group hosted by Free The Children (FCT) and Virgin Atlantic sent to see first hand what ‘your funds’ are actually achieving. And the news is good, very good. I can honestly say that it was one of the most humbling experiences of my life, I am so glad to have been included. I met a team of Virgin Atlantic personnel and two Free FCT officials in the Virgin Clubhouse at Heathrow airport, a great way to start the night flight to Delhi. Of course, still strictly on a training regime… I had to try several of the delights not to mention a few glasses of bubbly together with the clubhouse curry. We all compared notes and relaxed. After a long night flight we arrived in Delhi to be escorted to the domestic terminal by our very friendly local Virgin ground staff who managed an outstanding job of ushering us through most of the ‘red tape’ to make an internal flight connection. If you ever travel connecting through India… allow time… lot’s of time. After a 1.5 hour Jet Airways flight we landed on a short runway in Udaipur. A quick change into shorts and our fleet of taxis departed along the pot holed road to make the 3 hour journey to Araveli cottages. We arrived just as dusk fell, the huge vast mountains looming before us in the fading light. Rajahstan is absolutely beautiful. Araveli cottages were situated just outside the village of Araveli, within a walled encampment of 17 acres. This tented accommodation was fabulous. Each day was jammed full of visits, briefings, greetings whilst meeting the people involved in the projects. Not just officials and amazing volunteers but the local villagers who live ‘real lives’ which change on a daily basis as the principles of these projects consolidate and begin to take hold. ‘FTC’ have five pillars of sustainability at the heart of their vision: Clean water and sanitation Education Agriculture and food security  Alternative income Health FCT move into a deprived area and begin by sanitising the water sources together with educating the population concerning waist disposal. Educational improvements quickly follow along with school building projects. The school toilet facilities:   New school toilet block:   New classroom:     Without education there is ‘no sustainability!’   The children:   This education is not just for the children, but the whole community. Education for adults may consist of teaching a farmer that their preferred ‘grain crop’, because they like the taste, is not necessarily the correct crop for the region as there are other grain crops that grow better, are more robust, have a better yield and provide better nutrition. It’s hard to change cultural habits. Try taking away a cup...